Andersen Passes Blanda for the Record

Morten Andersen broke George Blanda’s NFL record for career games played when he missed a 46-yard field-goal attempt in the first quarter of Sunday’s game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Chicago Bears.

Andersen, 44, made his 341st appearance. He has kicked for New Orleans, Atlanta, the New York Giants, Kansas City and now the Vikings in his 23-year career.

He made up for the miss in the 27-22 victory with field goals of 42 and 24 yards, and three extra points.

Andersen, with 2,274 points, is also the league’s second all-time leading scorer behind Tennessee’s Gary Anderson, who has 2,351 points.

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Green Bay’s Brett Favre became the third member of the 4,000-completion club.

Favre began the game with 3,999 completions. He joined Dan Marino and John Elway as the only other players to reach that level when he connected with Javon Walker for a six-yard completion on the Packers’ second offensive play.

Favre ranks third all-time in completions. Marino has the NFL record with 4,967 completions, Elway is second at 4,123.

Later in the series, Favre also hooked up with Walker on a 36-yard touchdown pass. It marked the 28th straight game Favre has thrown a touchdown, tying Dave Krieg for the third-longest streak in NFL history. Favre broke a fourth-place tie with Peyton Manning and Chris Chandler.

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Elway received his Hall of Fame ring during a halftime ceremony at the Bronco-Charger game in Denver.

Elway, who became the first career Denver player inducted into the hall in August, accepted the ring during a short ceremony that Bronco owner Pat Bowlen called “the final chapter to John’s long journey into the Hall of Fame.”

Flanked by other past Bronco stars, including Karl Mecklenburg and Louis Wright, Elway thanked the fans for their support over his 16-year career.

“I had the chance to play for the greatest owner, the greatest organization in organized sports,” Elway said. “On top of that, I want to thank all the guys I played with who helped me get where I got. And I do want to say, you are the greatest fans of all time.”

Elway threw for 51,475 yards, but he was known for his comebacks. He had 47 game-winning or game-saving fourth-quarter drives.

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The Kansas City Chiefs inducted the late Joe Delaney into their Hall of Fame at halftime of the Chief-Texan game. Delaney, a running back, was the AFC rookie of the year and made the Pro Bowl in 1981 but drowned after his second season trying to rescue three children from a Louisiana pond.

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Sunday’s injury report:

* Steve McNair bruised his sternum during Tennessee’s 15-12 loss to Jacksonville and was admitted to the hospital for the night. McNair’s chest hurt enough that he was still in the trainer’s room more than an hour after the game ended. A team spokesman said trainers would not let the quarterback talk with reporters because he was having trouble taking deep breaths.

* Rich Gannon left Oakland’s game against Tampa Bay in the first quarter after taking a helmet-to-helmet hit by linebacker Derrick Brooks. He returned to the sideline in the second half but did not play.

* Tampa Bay running back Charlie Garner was carted off the field with a right knee injury in the second quarter and may be lost for the season.

* Miami running back Lamar Gordon was sidelined against Pittsburgh in the first quarter with a left shoulder injury after a jarring tackle.

* Chicago quarterback Rex Grossman scored on a six-yard scramble at the two-minute warning, but sprained his right knee on the play and left the stadium wearing a brace and using a crutch.